System for transmitting motion from a movable measuring element to a movable informing element



Nov. 2, 1948. w. P. POWERS SYSTEM FOR TRANSM ITTING MOTION FROM A MOVABLE MEASURING ELEMENT TO A MOVABLE INFORMING ELEMENT Original Filed Feb.. 24, 1945 Patented Nov. 2, 1948 OFFICE l SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING Mo'rroN FROM- A MOVABLE MEASURING. ELE- MENT '.TO "A wMO ELEMENT VABLE INFORMING Walter-P; Powers; Spring Lake, N. J assignor to Associated'Patentees, Inc., Ampere,i- N J acorwporationofNew Jersey Original application, Fellruaryj24; 1943, Serial No.

The invention herein disclosedrelates-t0 gages and instruments of that: general: character and covers subject matter divided?from application Serial Non 476,987, filed February-zit 1943,;issued as-Patent -No."2,360;581 onoctober 17; 1944.

Inearlier Powers Patents 2,246,001: and 2,246,- 002 of June 17, 1941, instruments are disclosed in the nature of limit gages and calipers providin visual indication by means of relative movement lation to create phantom or shadow pointersexaggeratin or magnifying thex'smaller' variations detected by such instruments.

In'the present invention, the same-principle fid readings or indications isillustrated, particularly with a view to providinga quiclcacting and easily read instrumentfor accurately. gaging, sizing, and: comparing pieces which should "meet certain standards in size, weight or other values.

Special objects of the invention are to provide means for actuating 'such'a gage, which Willbe particularly sensitive to the lesser variations, yet rugged enough to stand the treatment to which it may be subjected and in general, to" provide :such means, which will be entirelypractical and satisfactory for all intended purposes. a

The novel features oi-the invention. by which In the drawing, there is shown one practical of screens orgrids lined or arranged in vernier re- 1 the foregoing and other desirable objects are attained are set forth in the following speciembodiment of the invention, but the structure maybe modified and changed as regards this particular illustration, all within-the true" intent and scopeof the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig: l is a broken front elevation of an instrument in the nature of acomparator embodying features of theinventionpand .Fig. 2 :is a broken: side view :partlyyin vertical 1 section.

i-Inthe'form of apparatus illustrated,1the WO'lk is inserted betweenthe rest 6; and the enduofia plungerhor feeler 1. a

The movable measuring orsensing element is Divided l and this 15, 1945;" Seria1N0 .582,830

7 Claims. (01.: 33-147) ill 45 orpiece 5yto" be measured, comparedorthe like,

shown asoperable longitudinally ina guide 8 and l as yieldingly supported and tensioned in a'desired intermediate position by a spring supporting strip :9" riveted or otherwisesconnected with the end of rod? 1. l i

r-A constant, substantially: frictionless connecapplication March tion :is provided from the; sensing: plunger to the movahleelement of the gage, in the form oia wire, strip, a tape or ribbon l0, 1 doubled uponflitself to form a night i I extendin through an opening 12 in -a tensioning plate l3, and having one of its ends anchored to a fixed support at and its opposite end attached to the plunger at 5.

This strip is held firmly tensioned as indicated by a spring [6 connected with plate I3.

It will be evident thatlifti ng orlowering move mentstof plunger T will tend to shorten or lengthenthat portion ofthe strip connectedwith the plunger and that such action will result in spring '16 pulling the apex l I of this triangular connec- 'of small variations:or changes creatingmagnb 7 tion to the right or to the left, within .theilimits represented at ll, between straight lines H3,- H1, extended from the pointssl l, E5, of anchorageof the strip to the anchorage point '28 of the spring.

.It'will be further evident that longitudinal shifting movements of the sensing rod will effect see nitely proportional greater, lateral shifting move ments ofthe point or apex of thetensioned double sided strip connection.

These amplified movements may be. applied to the operation of a simple swinging pointer 01 like formof indicator, but in the illustration the action isfurther amplified by the special Vernier form of indicator illustrated and comprising a plastic, directly-attached to and carriedloy the tension plate, as indicated at 25; I For the purpose of initially setting the instrument, the work support may beadjustable'as by means of a thumb screw3ll. By adjusting-this screw against a'Johansson blocker other standard insertedbeneath the plunger, the machine may be set to bring the movable scale into zero position on the fixed scale, so that any variations from this standard will show up as so many degreesto one sideor the otherof the zero position.

'similarly, or as a part of the initial adjustgrids or screens, within 'the enclosure 32, -to

sharply illuminate the gage markings. The upper Vernier scale may be produced optically; after the I posed of a single, doubled strip, may be made up of two shorter strips secured together at their convergent ends, for example, by being both se cured to the tensioning plate. In such event,

both strips should be of the same metal or or" metals having the same coefiicient of expansion, so that temperature changes will not substan tially affect the accuracy of the instrument.

While in the case illustrated the action is eifected by shifting one side of the V-shaped actuator, it is contemplated that both ends may be shifted in reverse directions, thus to further amplify the extent of lateral movement. it is contemplated that instead of being directly carried by the convergent strips, the movable indicator grid may be mounted in a lateral guideway and be shifted in one or both directions by a push or pull engagement or connection between the convergent strips and movable indicator element. i

The flexible V-arranged strip or strips forming theimpulsing or actuating member, while usually of metal, might be of some other material and might be maintained taut and firm by other tensioning means, suchas a weight, instead of a spring. If both ends are shifted from the work sensing element, they may be supported by being attachedat opposite sides of the pivot center of a walking beam type of lever and such lever may then be extended to serve as or form part of the work sensing means.

While the invention is illustrated in use in an instrument for measuring size, in the nature of a comparator, it is realized that it may be applied to measurement of weight and other values. De-

tails of structure may be widely varied. The parts may all be mounted within a cabinet or enclosure suitably supporting the various elements in the relation substantially as illustrated.

What is claimed is:

1. An instrument of the character disclosed, comprising convergently related lengths of flexible strip, connected together attheir convergent ends and supported at their separated ends, means connected with said convergent connected ends and applying longitudinal tension to said lengths of strip, sensing means connected to impart longi tudinal movement to at least one of said longitudinally tensioned lengths of strip and thereby to create lateraldisplacement of the tensioned convergent connected ends of said lengths of strip and a movable informing element operable by the lateral displacement of said tensioned con vergent connected ends of the strip.

2. An instrument of the character disclosed, comprising convergently related lengths of flexible strip, connected together at their convergent ends and supported at their separated ends, means connected with said convergent connected ends and applying longitudinal tension to said lengths of strip, sensing means connected to impart longitudinal movement to at least one of said longitudinally tensioned lengths of strip and thereby to create lateral displacement of the tensioned convergent connected ends of said.

lengths of strip, a movable informing element operable by the lateral displacement of said tensioned convergent connected ends of the strip, said tensioning means comprising a tension spring'connected at one end with the connected 4 ends of the strip and extending away therefrom in the general direction of the longitudinal extent of the strip and anchorage means supporting the opposite end of said spring in substantial alignment with the connected end portions of thestrip.

'3. An instrument of the character disclosed, comprising convergently related lengths of flexible strip, connected together at their convergent ends and supported at their separated ends, means'connected with said convergent connected ends and applying longitudinal tension to said lengths of strip, sensing means connected to impart longitudinal movement to at least one of said longitudinally tensioned lengths of strip and thereby to create lateral displacement of the tensioned convergent connected ends of said lengths of strip, a movable informing element operable by the lateral displacement of said tensioned convergent connected ends of the strip, said strip be ing in a single continuous piece doubled upon itself to provide the convergently related con.

nected lengths described.

4. An instrument of the character disclosed, comprising convergently relatedlengths oi flexible strip, connected together at their convergent ends and supported at their separated ends, means connected with said convergent connected ends and applying longitudinal tension to said lengths of strip, sensing means connected to impart longitudinal movement to at least one of said longitudinally tensioned lengths of strip and thereby to createlateral displacement of the tensioned convergent connected ends of said lengths of strip, a movable informing element operable by the lateral displacement of said tensioned convergent connected ends of the strip and a tension plate interposed between the connected end portions of the strip, said tensioning means being connected with said tension plate for applying the longitudinal tension to the lengths of strip.

5. An instrument of the character disclosed, comprising convergently related lengths of flexi ble strip, connected together at their convergent ends and supported at their separated ends, means connected with said convergent connected ends and applying longitudinal tension to said lengths of strip, sensing means connected to impart longitudinal movement to at least one of said longitudinally tensioned lengths of strip and thereby to create lateral displacement. of the tensioned convergent connected ends of said lengths of strip, a movable informing element operable by the lateral displacement of said tensioned convergent connected ends of the strip, a tension plate interposed between the connected end portions of the strip, said tensioning means being connected with said tension plate for applying the longitudinal tension to the lengthsof strip and said informing element being engaged and actuated by said tension plate. i

6. An instrument of the character disclosed. comprising convergently related lengths of flexi ble strip, connected together at their convergent ends and supported at their separated ends, means connected with said convergent connected ends and applying longitudinal tensionto said lengths of strip, sensing means connected to impart longitudinal movement to at least one of said longitudinally tensioned lengths of strip and thereby to create lateral displacement of the tensioned. convergent connected ends of said lengths of strip, a movable informing element operable by the lateral displacement of said tensionedconvergent connected ends 'ofthe' strip,

said strip being in a single continuous piece dousaid longitudinally tensioned lengths of strip and 15 thereby to create lateral displacement of the tensioned convergent connected ends of said lengths of strip and a movable informingelement operable in accordance with said movements of said tensioned strip.

WALTER P. POWERS.-

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: i

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,981,153 Schoof NOV. 20, 1934 2,246,001 Powers June 17, 1941 

